Television device



F. w. ADSIT TELEVISION DEVICE Filed March 19, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet lMarch 17, 1931. w. ADS- 1,796,420

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TELEVIS ION DEVICE Filed March 19, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A 4%4zfl I32142 :8 we llao If): '46

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TELEVISION DEVICE Filed March 19, 1 928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ivy-22Inventor": E w fldszt /ffforneys.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES FRANK W. ADSIT, 02' ST. PAUL,MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOB OF (BIB-Tm TO SKORSTAD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, IIKNESOTA.

TELEVISION DEVICE PATENT OFFICE 'Russum Application filed March 19,1828. Serial No. 262,838.

My invention relates to television devices, and an object in general isto provide a device of this character of simple and efficientconstruction. Another obJect is to provide a device of this characterwhich will reproduce objects in their natural color. Another object isto rovide a device of this character which will firing the multicoloredlight to a focal point or near a focal point on a reproducing screen.Another object is to provide a device of this character which willreproduce stereoscopically. Another object is to provide a device ofthis character which will reproduce objects in combination with thetransmission and reproduction of sound. Another ob ect is to provideadevice of this character which will take television pictures of objectsor scenes subjected to natural light. Another object is to provide adevice of this character which will reproduce television pictures byutilizing a source of light of constant intensity. Another object is toprovide a device of this character which will make permanentphotographic records including motion picture records. Another object isto provide synchronizing mechanism for the television taking andreproducin -apparatus. Another object is to provide f dr makirgpermanent records in the television takin apparatus which records can bereproduced in the television reproducing apparatus.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear inconnection with the detailed description thereof, and the novel featuresof my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of thevarious features of my invention, Fig. 1 is a top plan sectional view ofthe picture taking appara tus. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on anenlarged scale of a .wheel having a succession of small mirrors on itsperiphery. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a broadcastin station including theantenna. Fig. 4 heet 2) is a. side elevational view of the wheel andmotor rotating the same. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the wheel takenat right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an elevational view showing twowheels operated synchronously by a order to exaggerate the various angla.

motor for stereoscopic purposes. is a fragmentary view 0 the shutterdevice shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 (Sheet 3) is a top view of the picturereproducing apparatus. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the shutter device shownin Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective View of a tuning apparatus. F 11 isa fragmentary view of an antenna which may he used in common for all ofthe tuning members shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 {Sheet an elevation al viewof the mirror wheel shown Fig. 8. Fig. 13 is a fragmentary top of themirror wheei drawn with a r Fig. 1 is a View showing a development ofthe periphery of the mirror wheel for the pun pose of illustrating theprogressively increas; ing and decreasing inclination of the variousmirrors on the mirror wheel. Sheet 4) is a sectional View of a modifiedform of a Fig. 20 (Sheet 5} is a fragmentary view of light intensitycontrolling device which may be used in connection with the reproducingapparatus shown in Fig. 17. 21 is a. view of an apparatus for makingwhat records of variationsof current coming from photo-electric cells.Fig. 22 is a view of an apparatus for reproducing the variations incurrent recorded on the wax records.

As shown in the I provide a casing 16 having a front wall 18 and apartition 20 in its forward portion, the front wall and partition beingprovided respectively with achromatic lenses 22 and w 24 respectivelywhich are in line with each other so as to act onthe rays of lightpassing therethrough in the manner customary with ordinary cameras. Ashaft 26 rotatably mounted in the rear portion of the casing 16 carriw awheel 28, the

said shaft being driven by an electric motor as shown in Fig. 4.The-periphery of the wheel 28 carries a multiplicity of small mirrors 32arran ed in the form of one turn of a helix as will understood fromFigs. 4 and 5. Furthermore, these mirrors have an inclined positionrelatively to a tangent drawn at the circumference of the wheel as willbe understood from Fi 2. As shown in this figure, the mirrors t uspositioned may be conveniently roduced by setting pins 34in the wheelwhich are inclined instead of being radially related to the wheel. Theprotruding ends of these pins are accurately m well known manner. InFig. 1, the numeral 36 represents an object, the picture of which is tobe reproduced by television. In the position shown in this fi re, raysof light from the points 38 and o the object will be focused by thelenses 22 and 24 alternately upon successive mirrors 32 and 3 and as thewheel rotates for the distance between two mirrors, successive pointsbetween 38 and 40 will be focused upon the mirrors. -Furthermore, onaccount of the helical arrangement 16. This casing toward the opposite'side thereof from that occupied by the screen 42 is provided with alurality of photo-electric cells shown in ,i'g. 1 as two in number anddesignated 44 and 46. These photo-elec so-as to shut off each set oflenses in alternatriccells are at all times exposed to light coming-from the screen 42. In order to produce pictures in natural colors,color filters such as 48 and 50 may be interposed between-the cells andthe screen. In order to utilize the variations in current produced inthe cells they are connected to wires such as 52, 54, and 56 which leadto and are connected in well known manner with a broadcasting station.58 having an antenna 60 as shown in Fig.8.

If it is desired to produce stereoscopic' p1ctures, the lenses 22 and 24and the wheel 28 are duplicated as indicated at 22, 24, and 28' in Fig.6 so that two pictures are taken from different angles corresponding tothe angular relation existing for the two human eyes. In thisarrangement, a shutter 62 isemployed which is secured to a shaft 64driven in synchronism with the wheels just referred to by gearing 66.The shutter 62 is in the form of a semi-disk as shown in Fig. 7 and isplaced between the outer and inner lenses tion. Since only one wheelis-exposed to h light at any one time, one sending freq ency is all thatis necessary to transmit from both squared and provided with mirroredsurfaces with. In order to ap wheels. Referring to. the reproducingapparatus shown in Fig. 8 it will be seen that there is a casing 68 atone end of which two lamps 70 and 72 are placed, these lamps havingparabolic reflectors 74 and 7 6 which reflect t e light in parallel raysto lenses 78 and 80 respectively from which the rays pass to lenses 82and 84 in front of which are color filters 86 and 88 corresponding tothe color filters 48 and 50 previously mentioned. In front of the lens78, there is a pair of cooperating shutter blades 90 and 92 connectedrespectively with loud speaker units 94 and 96 while in front of thelens 80 there is a similar pair of cooperating shutter blades 98 and 100connected respectively with loud speakerunits 102 and 104. As will'beunderstood from Fig. 9, each of the two cooperating shutter blades has aV-shaped notch in its inner margin and as the blades slide back andforth, the opening 105 between them will gradually open and close. Thespeaker units 94 and 96 are connected by a cable 106 with a tuning unit108 .for one color while the speaker units 102 and 104 are connected bya cable 110 with a tuning ugiit 112 for a different color. These twouning units are connected respectively by leads 114 and 116 with acommon aerial or antenna 118. It will be understood as a matter ofcourse that the number of these color tuningunits will be the same asthe number of color filters employed since they correspond directlytherereproduction, three or more filters may be em,-

'ployed. From the color filters 86 and 88, the

rays of light pass to a common lens 120 by which they are focused upon amirror wheel 122 mounted in the casing and carried by a shaft 124 drivenby a synchronous motor 126 shown in Fig. 12. This motor has a connection128 with a tuning unit 130 connected by .a' lead 132 with the antenna118 for keeping the motor in synchronism with the sending motor 30. Thewheel 122 has a multiplicity of mirror faces 134 which are the same innumber 5 as the number of small mirrors 32 previouslv referred to. FromFig. 14, it'w-ill' be understood that the arrangement of the mirrorfaces 134 is such that there is one face which 'is exactly vertical andthat the subsequent faces are progressively inclined more and more asthey proceed around the periphery. As will be apparent from Fig. 13,there is a small space between the mirror faces. This space issubstantially; the width of a light beam at the point where .itstrikestheperiphery of the wheel. 'In Fig. 14 the dotted lines at each endrepresent a light beam which is reflected upwardly at the left end anddownwardly at the right end. In Fig. 8, a fixed screen 136 is shown forreceiving the light beams which are progressively projected so that thetelevision pictures may be observed, while roximate natural colorpictures.

the numeral 138 designates a film n whichthe light beams may be projecso as to make a permanent record. When the film is moved at the proper sed in the manner in which motion picture hns are moved, it may be usedto make permanent records of motion In Fig. 10, a tuning unit 140 isshown which is connected by a lead 142 with the antenna 118. This tuningunit is connected by a cable 144 with a loud speaker 146 forreproduction of sound.

In the form of picture taking'apparatus shown in Fig. 15, there is acasing 148 having a front wall 150 and a partition 152 in its frontportion, this wall and partition being provided respectively withachromatic lenses 154 and 156. A shaft 158 rotatably mounted in the rearportion of the casing 148 is driven by a motor 160, the shaft of whichcarries a wheel 162. The 1 eriphery of the wheel 162 carries a multipicity of small mirrors arranged in a number of rows, each rowconstituting one turn of a helix. In the embodiment shown, there are twohelical rows designated 164 and 166. The mirrors 164 of one row arebeveled in such manner that the light focused thereon by the lenses 154and 156 is reflected through a color filter 168 upon a photo-electriccell 170. The mirrors 166 of the other row are beveled in such mannerthat the light focused thereon by the lenses 154 and 156 is reflectedthrough a color filter 172 upon a photo-electric cell 174. No reflectingscreen is used such as shown in Fig. 1, the light being reflected by themirrors directly into the photo-electric cells so that in thisarrangement more of the light is caused to act upon the cells which areconnected by wires 52, 54' and 56 with a broadcastin station in a mannersimilar to that explained in Fig. 1. Fig. 17 shows a portion of thereproducing apparatus it being understood that there is a casing 68',similar to the casing 68 shown in Fig. 8. The beam of light assingthrough the lens 82-and the color lter 86 and the beam of light passingthrough the lens 84 and the color filter 88 are both directed upon amirror wheel 176 having a plurality o mirrors around its periphery soinclined as to reflect the beams upon a receiving screen 178. Thedistance between the two beams where they strike the screen 178 isproportionate to the width of the screen just as the distance betweenthe two rows of mirrors in Fig. 15 is proportionate to the width of thewheel. By referring to Fig. 20, it will be-seen that loud speaker unitsare used which operate shutter blades in a manner similar to thatdescribed in connection with Fig. 8. In this case, there is a cable 180containing three wires 182, 186 and 188. The wire 182 is connected tothe unit .96, the wire 188 is connected to the unit 102 while the wire186 is connected to the two units 94 and 104. Referring again to Fig.15, it will be seen that 52 and 54 leadingto the'broadcastin station.

The photo-electric cell 44 has a muc higher electrical resistance thanthe contact just mentioned with the result that when the contact is madea much stronger impulse is sent out from the broadcasting station thanis ever sent out directly from the photo-electric cell 44. At thereceiving end, the shaft of the "motor which operates the wheel 17 6carries a disk 196 having a projection 198 which passes a fixedelectromagnet 200 at each revolution. The ends of the coil for thiselectromagnet are connected by wires 204 and 206 across the loud speakerunits 102 and 104. If desired, an implifier can be installed between thecoil of the electromagnet 200 and its connection with the loud speakerunits. In either case, the impedance of the coil is very high incomparison with the impedance of the speaker units, with the result thatit absorbs very little current from the circuit of which it is shuntedacross while this circuit is carrying high frequency impulses, but would.IOCGIVQ quite an impulse once to each revolution due to the excessiveenergy sent out fromihe transmitting station once for each revolutionpushes the finger I of the transmitting motor when the contact thetaking end. If the speed of the disk 1%.

lags, it is pulled into proper place by being drawn ahead by theattraction of the electromainet while if it is too speedy, it is pulledbac into proper place by the attraction of the elect-romagnet. Fig. 21shows an apparatus for making wax records of the variations of currentsent throu h the photo-electric cells 170 and174. In this case, insteadof or in addition to broadcasting the television scene, the variationsin current sent out from the two cells are amplified by means of anamplifier 208 connected to the cells. From the amplifier,

leads 210 for the cell 170 connect with an electrically operated cuttingdevice 212 simi' lar to that used for cutting phonograph records. Thecutting device 212 is adapted to operate upon a wax disk 214 securedtoshafts of the mirror wheel 162. From the amplifier, leads 216 for thecell 174 are connected with a similar cuttin device 218 adapted tooperate upon a wax 1sk 220 secured to they shaft of the mirror wheel.Any number of records can be reproduced from the original records madeon the disks 214 and 220. As shown in Fig. 22, copied records 214 and220' can be placed on the shaft of the recei'v 7 ing motor 221.Electromagnetic pickups 222 and 224 associated respectively with thedisks 214 and 220' are connected with an amplifier 226 which in turn isconnected by the wires 182, 186, and 188 with the shutters shown in Fig.20 for actuating them in the manner previously described. One purpose inusing wax records is as follows: Should there be a time when there is notelevision program coming in through the receiving end, the operator mayemploy these picture records and produce a picture program. If theicture record is desired in one color only, t en the second record maybe used for recording sound. In this case, the sound and picture will bein synchronism with each other since the two records arefastened in apredetermined position on the shaft. If color records are being made,then an additional record may be placed on the shaft for recording the.

sound. a

The operation and advantages of my invention will be apparent inconnection with the foregoing description. The device is adapted fortaking and transmitting pictures by means of the television takingapparatus, of objects illuminated by either naturalor artificial light,and of scenes such as it is now possible to take by means of an ordinarymotion picture camera. In addition to taking and transmitting plays suchas those ordinarily taken by motion picture machines, the device isadapted for takin and reproducing at a distance, pictures of at leticcontests, prize fights, current events, stage plays, bull fights, armyand navy maneuvers,

and races. The installation of the television camera 111 time of war onan airplane would adapt the device for use in transmitting pictures ofthe enemies formations and topographical views. The device is alsoadapted for use in transmitting telegraphic messages as well astransmitting almost instantaneously facsimiles of various documents,pictures, etc, which at the receiving end of the device can bephotographed by either an ordinary camera or a motion picture camera forthe purpose of making a permanent rec- 0rd of the original which is beintransmitted. Sound may be transmitted a so simultaneously with pictures,and pictures may be reproduced in two or more colors and also ster- (50.

coscopically. For the latter purpose the observer of the picturesreproduced on the screen may be provided with well. known form ofshutters for the eyes which cover and expose the eyes alternately at theproper speed. Such shutters have been used for viewing motion picturesand hence need not be described in detail. One eye would be exposed tothe screen during one revolution of themirror wheel, the other eye beingexposed during the next revolution of the mirror wheel and so on inalternation. This shutter arrangement would, of course, be shifted insynchronism with the mirror wheel. The reproducing apparatus is capableof reproducing the pictures either on a large or small screen and isadapted to reproduce pictures on a full-sized motion picture screen inmotion picture theaters as well as to reproduce the sound in synchronismtherewith. When the principle-s hown in Figs. 18 and 19 is used forsynchronizing, it is preferable to eliminate the mirror or mirrors atone position on the circumference both at the sending and receiving'endand at this 0- sition the contact produced by the mem er 190 shown inFig. 18 would be made. When this contact is made, it sends a very strongelectrical impulse out on the transmitting end while on the receivingend this strong impulse is received at the position where there is nomirror. In this manner the synchronizing can be carried on on the samewave length 7 chronizing purpose only. If only one color is beingtransmitted or if the picture is in black and white only, then thetelevision picture and the synchronizing effect can both be transmittedon the single wave length. This eliminates the necessity of sending outan additional synchronizing wave length.

I'claim:

1. In a television device, the combination of a rotatable wheel, a multilicity of small mirrors for receiving light rom successive portions ofobjects as said wheel is rotated, said mirrors being arranged around theperiphery of said wheel in the form of a helix and having an inclinedposition relatively to a tangent drawn at the circumference of the wheelwhereby light reflected by said mirrors is moved in both a horizontaland vertical position, a photo-electric cell, and means for utilizingthe currents therefrom to modulate a radio broadcast wave.

2. In a television device, the combination of a rotatable wheel, amultiplicity of small mirrors for receiving light from successiveportions of objects as said wheel is rotated, said mirrors beingarranged around the periphery of said wheel in the form of a helix andhaving an inclined position relatively to a tangent drawn at thecircumference of the wheel whereby light reflected by said mirrors ismoved in both a horizontal and vertical position, a screen upon whichsaid light is projected, a photo-electric cell exposed to said screen,and means for utilizing the currents from said cell to modulate a radiobroadcast wave.

3. In a television device, the combination of a rotatable wheel, a multilicity of small mirrors for receiving light rom successive portions ofobjects as said wheel is rotated, said mirrors being arranged around theperiphery of said wheel in the form of a helix and having an inclinedposition relatively to a tangent drawn at the circumference of the wheelwhereb light reflected by said mirrors is moved in th a horizontal andvertical position, a photo-electric cell, means for utilizing thecurrent therefrom to modulate a radio broadcast wave, a second rotatablewheel having a multiplicity of mirror surfaces around its peripherycorresponding in number to the number of said first mentioned mirrors,said surfaces having progressively increasing inclined portions, meansfor projecting light upon said mirror surfaces corresponding inintensity to the light received from the successive portions of saidobjects, and a viewing device for receiving the light reflected fromsaid mirror surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

FRANK W. ADSIT.

